General Description of the Giant Schnauzer

The Giant Schnauzer is a large, robust, bold dog. Its body is well-muscled and proportional, giving it a square appearance. The head is strong and rectangular, narrowing steadily from the ears to the tip of the nose. The eyes are deep-set, dark, and oval. The ears are carried high on the head and can either be cropped or uncropped. If uncropped, the ears are V-shaped and fold over close to the head. The muzzle is strong, ending in a wedge at the nose which is large and black. The jaw is powerful with a scissors bite. The tail is docked and set high. The coat is wiry with a soft under coat. The hair around the top of the head, the beard, and eyebrows is coarse. The color may be either black or salt and pepper.

Giant Schnauzer Temperament

The Giant Schnauzer is intelligent, loyal and loving. Ever energetic and ready for a game, the Giant Schnauzer makes a great companion for active types, but its rough and tumble attitude may be a bit much for small children. This dog also has highly dominant tendencies, and requires an experienced handler who can show it who’s boss. The Giant Schnauzer is a true guard dog in the sense that it is usually unfriendly to strangers, small pets, or other dogs. Children are acceptable to this dog, especially those in its own family but again, supervision is important during play. The Giant Schnauzer will sound the alarm if it detects anything threatening, and is quite adept at subduing unwanted guests. Proper socialization is important so that the dog does not turn this instinct against everyone who enters the house.

Caring for a Giant Schnauzer

Giant Schnauzers are big dogs with big appetites for exercise. They do best with two exercise sessions every day. If they don’t get sufficient exercise, they become unruly and are unable to settle down for the night. Their need for exercise and their size makes them unsuitable for apartment life. In fact, acreage is the ideal situation for this dog, as it enjoys having the chance to roam and explore. This breed sheds very little but still needs to be brushed weekly to prevent the undercoat from matting. This breed has little doggie odor and needs to be bathed only when necessary. Clipping the beard, ear, and eyebrow hair is a good idea, and knots should be clipped out as well. The Giant Schnauzer is susceptible to canine hip dysplasia, gastric torsion, hypothyroidism and osteochondritis dissecans.